Shiseido to acquire Drunk Elephant
There’s a new brand joining the Shiseido family.
The Tokyo-based company announced that its Shiseido Americas subsidiary has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Drunk Elephant brand.
“We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Drunk Elephant, one of the fastest-growing prestige skincare brands in history. This transaction is squarely aligned with Shiseido’s VISION 2020 goal of accelerating growth and creating value through strategic partnerships,” Masahiko Uotani, the president and CEO of Shiseido, said. “Drunk Elephant’s approach strongly resonates with its highly engaged and loyal consumers, who value the integrity and effectiveness of Drunk Elephant’s formulations combined with a fun, curious approach. I am confident that under Marc Rey’s leadership in the Americas and Shiseido’s global platform and unique resources, we will strongly support Drunk Elephant on its ongoing growth trajectory. I am very pleased to welcome Tiffany and the Drunk Elephant team to the Shiseido Family and together, pursue our long-term mission of “Beauty Innovations for a Better World.”
Known for its clean compatible and effective products, Drunk Elephant was founded in 2012 by Tiffany Masterson. Since then, the brand has gone on to create cross-generational products for all skin types, and curated an assortment of hero products that use biocompatible ingredients.
“This new and incredibly exciting partnership builds on Shiseido’s significant momentum and successful track record of acquiring distinctive, best-in-class brands. Drunk Elephant is changing the way people understand and experience beauty by offering products that are effective and clean compatible. Drunk Elephant is built on a strong brand foundation and a unique philosophy that fits perfectly with Shiseido’s values and skincare heritage,” Marc Rey, the CEO of Shiseido Americas and chief growth officer of Shiseido, said. “Our innovative and people-first cultures are well aligned, and we share an unwavering commitment to our consumers. I also believe the brand will contribute to the business performance of Shiseido Americas. We are thrilled to welcome Tiffany and the Drunk Elephant team to the Shiseido family and I know they will feel at home from day one.”
The transaction, which was led by Shiseido Americas, will see Drunk Elephant operating within the company and allow Tiffany Masterson to continue on as the brand’s chief creative officer and assume the role of president.
“I started this business as an industry outsider, and from the beginning, I did things a little differently. To join with a powerhouse beauty company such as Shiseido that leads the industry in innovation and global excellence is a dream come true for me and for Drunk Elephant,” Tiffany Masterson, the founding partner and chief creative officer at Drunk Elephant, said. “We share similar values, most importantly an unwavering commitment to the consumer. I chose a partner who will let the brand continue to be itself, with the same formulations and the same team.”